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what is epiglottis?

Epiglottitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the epiglottis - a flap located at the base of the tongue which stops food from going down the wrong way into the windpipe (trachea) when we are eating. As the epiglottis sits in a crucial place for proper breathing, if it becomes swollen it can cause serious breathing difficulties and is treated as a medical emergency.


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